by Diane Lowrey
R-T Editor
Trenton resident Gladys Atteberry has lived an interesting life during the past 100 years and doesn’t have any plans of slowing down any time soon.
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Mrs. Atteberry will hit the century mark on Wednesday, Sept. 28 and will be celebrating with a party this Saturday that will include five generations of family members. A native of Half Rock, Mrs. Atteberry has nine great-great-grandchildren, most of who plan to be with her at the party, including her youngest great-great-granddaughter, Emma, who will be celebrating her first birthday on Saturday.
The youngest of four children, Mrs. Atteberry was born on her father’s birthday, which also happened to be the birthday of one of her brothers. She also had a second brother as well a sister, all of whom are now deceased. When she was old enough, she attended school in Trenton and went through the eighth grade, when she found another interest.
“I was boy crazy,” Mrs. Atteberry laughed, noting that gentlemen began taking a backseat to her studies.
One of the boys she met, Emmit Atteberry, permanently caught her eye and the two were married when Gladys turned 16. Emmit was a railroad man and the couple moved to California to begin their married life. In the 20-plus years the pair resided in California, Emmit continued to work for the railroad while Gladys found work with Goodyear and, during World War II, became a “Rosie the Riveter” when she helped make tires for airplanes that were flown by the Americans. All five of her children were born in California and three of them continue to live there.
While in California, Emmit was injured at work and the couple moved back to the area and to a farm near Modena. The move was quite a change for Gladys, who had been living in a newly-constructed home out West and now found herself in what she describes as “an old farm house with an outhouse in back.” But as her daughter, Linda said, Gladys “was a good sport about it.”
The couple spent five years on the farm, where they raised hogs and Gladys had a garden. But despite raising hogs, the couple never butchered their own meat; instead opting to purchase meat from the store in town.
“Emmit wouldn’t butcher any of his hogs,” Gladys said. “He always said it would be like killing one of his friends.”
In 1960, the Atteberrys moved to Tindall and the couple retired. In their retirement, Emmit spent a few years as the town mayor and Gladys continued to raise those children who still remained at home. Emmit died in 1964 and when their youngest daughter, Linda (now Dannull), decided to head off to college, Gladys made her move to town.
She spent several years in the north part of town, where both Linda and her sister, Margaret (now Ireland), could be available to look in on their mother. But a trip back to Trenton by a son in California changed all that and, before long, Gladys found herself living next door to her daughter, Linda.
The son, Don, decided that the trips back and forth across town for his sisters were getting to be a bit much, so he began looking for a home that would be close to Linda. That search included him basically going up and down the neighborhood, knocking on doors and asking if the owners would be willing to sell their house. When discussing the situation with the couple living next door to Linda, a deal was made and before she knew it, Gladys was in what she plans to be her final home.
Although she was never much of a reader growing up, that interest has grown by leaps and bounds over the past five to six years and, according to her daughter, Gladys reads nearly anything she can get her hands on. Puzzles are of particular interest to her which, Gladys says, “keeps her mind sharp.”
As to what’s kept her going all these years?
“I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, but I love chocolate,” she said. “And I’ve known the Lord a lot of years.”
Mrs. Atteberry will celebrate her 100th birthday anniversary this Saturday with an open house at the Church of the Nazarene from 1 to 3 p.m. All five of her children are planning to be there, including the one daughter and two sons she has living, in California, and nearly most all of the 16 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren she has. Family and friends are invited to attend the open house and Gladys says “please, no gifts.” Persons who would like to send a card can do so at her home, 1812 Eastview Drive, Trenton, MO 64683.